Seattle Symphony

Building a brand for an orchestra as innovative as its host city

We collaborated with the Seattle Symphony to re-define and re-launch their brand—and to promulgate it through print, digital, and spoken communications. The new communications are rooted in the Seattle Symphony’s particular mix of brand attributes and, in particular, the character of the city of which they are an integral part.

Confronted with a confusing relationship between the Symphony and the city-owned Benaroya Hall in which they both performed and presented—and an equally confusing and disparate set of sub-brands—early work focused on brand strategy and architecture: making clear what performances and presentations attached to the Symphony, and which were presented by Benaroya Hall. (The initial porous boundaries had tarnished the Symphony’s brand and stature.)

Similarly, the Symphony’s wide range of sub-brands made it hard for current and prospective attendees and donors to understand the scope of the organization—and find their points of connection. We put in place a much-simplified brand strategy and architecture.

We evolved their new visual system organically from the vision of the orchestra’s leadership, staff, and musicians—and the vibe of Seattle. The Symphony’s signature color—a hot magenta—immediately distinguishes the orchestra from other cultural options. That boldness continues with evocative imagery that adds interest, intrigue, and flexibility—and further positions this unique American ensemble.

Our collaboration included the development of core communications in the new brand, including seasonal acquisition materials across several years; the design of a fresh, innovative, and intuitive website; and templates to advance both development initiatives and their robust educational offerings. As the then CEO, Simon Woods, said, “We may not have the signature sound of Boston or Cleveland, but we certainly now have a signature look and brand.”

Objectives

Increase visibility, comprehension, and value to support both earned and contributed income— and to build a global reputation
Clearly differentiate the Symphony’s performances and presentations from those presented by Benaroya Hall
Bring coherence to print and digital communications so that every communication dollar reinforces every other
Support a new strategic plan
Make clear to different audiences the Symphony’s different lines of business
Help the organization to “get credit” for its innovations
Build a brand that is in sync with the innovation and sensibilities of Seattle

Collaboration

Developed guiding attributes and storylines based on extensive qualitative interviews and internal and external audits
Put in place a new brand architecture that clearly delineated a Symphony performance from one where they were the “house band”—and from “rental” performances that were not associated with the Symphony at all
Devised a visual system to better connect the Symphony with the brand attributes of Seattle
Configured a bipartite visual system to reflect the new brand strategy: Symphony performances are now rendered differently than those under the Live@Benaroya Hall banner
Created lead revenue-generating print materials
Devised approaches and templates for inhouse implementation to support fundraising and educational initiatives
Planned and designed a new website to support the brand strategy—and bolster both earned and contributed income

Scope

Qualitative interviews
Internal and competitive communications audits
Brand strategy and architecture
Attributes, storylines, and message development
Visual system
Design and writing for new website
Creation of marketing materials across seasons
Approaches and templates for inhouse implementation
Documentation and training

Brand strategy

We devised a brand strategy that could modulate—and build brand clarity and meaning: full Symphony “strength” for orchestra performances; slightly less strength when the orchestra was the backup band for a non-orchestral soloist; and very quiet brand volume when the Symphony was presenting an act but the orchestra wasn’t onstage. The Benaroya Hall brand increased in strength, inversely. And when the Hall was rented by a third party, Benaroya Hall was presented as just a location message—and the Symphony brand invisible.

Seattle Symphony’s brand is presented at different “strengths” that map to the level that the orchestra participates in a concert or event.

Evocative imagery

In addition to imagery that brings forward the musicians, the experience the Symphony delivers, and imagery of both concert audiences and educational and community program participants, Seattle’s brand system includes a level of abstract evocative imagery.

Seasonal marketing materials

Three seasons of marketing materials each bring their differentiating, evocative imagery forward. Shared approaches to type and color provide season-to-season brand coherence. The initial wide array of sub-brands has also been eliminated: these are expressed, where needed, as program titles.

The building blocks of the visual system—implemented across print materials and a new website—advanced ticket sales, contributed income, and our wide range of community engagement activities—all the while building a stronger connection with the brand
and values of Seattle."

Charlie Wade

Sr. Vice President for Marketing and Business Operations, Seattle Symphony (former)

Templates for inhouse implementation

To demonstrate the strength and flexibility of the brand system, we created prototypes and templates that inhouse staff could use to engage families in their educational offerings—and to connect with current and prospective donors. Far from cookie-cutter solutions, these examples showed how brand elements could be deployed for different audiences and opportunities—while always building brand equity.

We collaborated with the Symphony’s Tessitura development partner to design, write, and develop a new user-friendly, brand-building website that featured an unexpected, but totally intuitive navigational structure that set the site apart in the crowded Seattle cultural landscape.

A complementary new site for Benaroya Hall

Brand guidelines

Comprehensive brand guidelines do more than document the brand system: they live it. Combining brand strategy, messaging, and visual expression, they help all who communicate on behalf of Seattle Symphony to be both effective and in brand.

Seattle Symphony recordings extend their brand system. And while each expression is arresting in its own right, together they form a coherent, recognizable series.

Our collaboration with Sametz Blackstone played a significant role in boosting the visibility and reputation of the orchestra. The new brand strategy, and attendant visual system, made our varied offerings more clear—and elevated the Symphony—attracting and retaining concert attendees, education and community participants, and donors."

Charlie Wade

Seattle Symphony